Gophers Welcome Brandvold to Wrestling Staff

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Trevor Brandvold as officially joined the University of Minnesota wrestling coaching staff, Brandon Eggum announced today. Brandvold, who spent the last six years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, begins his role immediately.

“We are extremely excited to bring Trevor on board,” Eggum said. “With his experience on the mat as a two-time Big Ten Champion along with his time as an Associate Head Coach, he will excel here at the University of Minnesota. He has great relationships in the Midwest, he a phenomenal leader and mentor that will help us each and every day in the wrestling room.”

With the addition of Brandvold, Dustin Schlatter will move on to a role with the Minnesota Regional Training Center team, Minnesota Storm, as their head coach. After Schlatter’s legendary career with the Gophers, where he won an NCAA Championship and was a three-time All-American, he also was a gold medalist in freestyle at the 2015 Pan American Championships in the 70-kilograms weight class.

“Dustin’s move to the Minnesota RTC program is one that will benefit not only Dustin, but a lot of people and wrestlers in this state,” Eggum said. “It really is a perfect fit for Dustin who has had a lot of international success in his life, and will be able to coach a program that has a strong senior level group that will be competing for Olympic spots.”

In his six years with the Badgers, Brandvold coached alongside Barry Davis who left Wisconsin this past season. He was the head recruiter for the Badgers where he primarily coached the five heaviest weight classes, helping bring nine NCAA qualifying spots, three All-Americans, a national finalist and a Big Ten Medal of Honor winner over the past two seasons. Along with his coaching accomplishments on the mat, he has also been in charge of academics, community service, high school outreach and was the Badger Regional Training Center liaison.

“I am eager to get started here at the University of Minnesota,” Brandvold said. “I have always admired this program, and I can’t wait to contribute and build toward the same goal of winning a national championship. I look forward to shaping this program with the right people in the right way. To develop each and every one of our student-athletes into great wrestlers and even better men is my biggest goal as I begin here in the Twin Cities.”

On the mat, along with being a two-time Big Ten Champion, Brandvold was a two-time All-American and also has experience in international wrestling. He finished second at the USA Olympic qualifier, and top six at the U.S. Open and Olympic trials in 2012.

Brandvold, who graduated from Wisconsin in 2011 with a degree in life sciences communications, comes to Minnesota with his wife Ali, daughter Izraya and son Abel. He enjoys golf, meeting with Life Group and spending time up north.